


Happy Endings of Mike Peterson

by Nocticola



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Canon Disabled Character, F/M, Gen, Post-Episode: s02e19 The Dirty Half Dozen, Post-Episode: s02e21-22 S.O.S. Parts 1-2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-19 17:44:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11902887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocticola/pseuds/Nocticola
Summary: Mike gets the closure the show didn't give us.Ch.1: Family (https://demisexualnathanvuornos.tumblr.com/post/165708735693/happy-endings-of-mike-peterson-chapter-1-family)Ch. 2: Love (https://demisexualnathanvuornos.tumblr.com/post/176265474473/happy-endings-of-mike-peterson-chapter-22-love)





	1. Family

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tournamentofhearts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tournamentofhearts/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike reunites with his family.

HYDRA removed Mike’s eye and dismantled his leg. Simmons is right about the facility though. They know what they are doing. They give him a weaponless prosthetic leg, a new eye and some more skin crafts to help fix his face. Physically, it takes him weeks to get better. Emotionally? It’s trickier. 

He sees Mindy the first time in over a year. His skin crafts are still a work in progress, and he’s still practicing walking. SHIELD still has enough magical mechanics left that they can give him some visual in his new eye, but it is still an adjustment. Having freedom to do what he wants to, without always having to wait for a message in his eye, it also helps. 

Seeing Mindy again is hard. Complicated. He’s been out of her life for so long, from Ace’s life, he’s not sure how they will react. A lot of what he did was horrible, or classified, but SHIELD has a story ready for him. 

He’s a very different man from the one his sister last met. He doesn’t know what to expect from her. Her choice is to hug him. They both burst to tears. He’s missed her so much. Afterwards, she comes to visit him as often as she can. It helps.

***  
About a month after Mindy, he gets a surprise guest, Skye, who has decided to call herself Daisy now, come see how he’s doing. Daisy tells him about her parents, the name change, about the mystery of what happened to Jemma, about the inhumans, about Ace. They are kinda buddies, she occasionally still visits Ace, tells him stories about Mike. Mike appreciates that yet feels conflicted. He’s been out of Ace’s life for so long, finding his way back into it. But after talking with Daisy, he thinks he might be getting there. 

*** 

His physical therapy is getting better. He will never be the person he was but he is getting there. The retirement fund estabslished by Nick Fury certainly helps things. Ace is taken care of. He hopes he'll be ready for Ace soon.

***

During one visit, Mindy suggests bringing Ace with her during the next visit. His face is looking better, and in general, he's getting better. Mindy thinks it would be good for Ace to see where his father has been, before Mike gets back home. Mike is hesitant. Talking with Ace on the phone is one thing, seeing him... After all this time, after everything he became...  
"I think that's a good idea," he tells Mindy.  
***

He waits seeing Ace again with dread and exitement. He's missed so much time with him. But being a father is the best thing that ever happened to him, and now that he is starting to get his body back under order, he wants to get back into it.

Ace always sounds happy when they talk on the phone, but it might be different once Ace sees him again. If he is angry with Mike, he understands and will spend the rest of his life making it better.

***

The day has finally arrived. Mike has mostly learned how to walk again, albeit with a limp and a cane, for now. His skin still has burn scars and he has to rely on his right eye. But he is almost ready to leave the facility. He just needs to know Ace wants him back. Mindy assures him that he does, but you never know how kids might react. 

Ace steps in the door. He's so damn tall already. He might end up taller than Mike. He looks around for his father. He soon finds him, and Mike waits with bated breath.  
"Daddy!" Ace yells and runs to Mike awaiting arms. Mike can't help the tears as he holds his son after such a long time. He tries to hold in a sob and fails. Ace is holding on just as desperately. Mike can just about make out Mindy's smiley face in the background.  
"Dad, what are we?" Ace whispers in Mike's ear.  
Mike lets out a shaky, watery laugh. They are going to be OK.  
"We're a team."


	2. Love: Audrey/Mike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very vague post-s2 timeline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's bee 10 months since I started this, so I thought I'd fi malli finish it.

After Mike is released from the facility, it's time for the Petersons to decide what next. Mike is not sure he wants to impede any more on Mindy, even though she swears she doesn't mind. Ace has been living with Mindy for about two years now, and it has provided him with nice amount of stability after he was kidnapped by HYDRA and Mike worked secretly with SHIELD. But a part of Mike wants to get a fresh start somewhere else. But he has to do what is best for Ace, so they stay for a while.

Even though Mike's skin is better but still scarred, and he can walk with a limp which is mostly noticiable only if you know to look for it, Mike mostly still hides away at Mindy's home. Luckily there are not that many neighbors around, but he still knows some people there and he is worried about how people will react to him. 

Both Mindy and Ace clearly worry about his adjustment, and he hates to put that on them, so he tries to go out for walks, and go with them to the grocery store. He tries to be normal again. But when people who last saw him at his wedding come up to talk to him, he doesn't know what to say to them. Doesn't know how to exist around these people from his past. 

Six months after he was released, he finally takes up Coulson's suggestion of meeting with a psychiatrist. Andrew Garner has specialized in working with SHIELD and even Daisy recommended him. And he must be a good dude to be with Melinda May. And even though he's not a father, yet, talking to another black man helps. He understands some of those struggles. 

It does help to talk to someone who understands SHIELD, and he is good at helping people with powers. Although Mike isn't quite powered anymore. He can help around the house more, he still has some strength left but even that feels wrong somehow. 

Eventually, Andrew suggests that because of his anxiety about living near people who knew the old him, relocation might be better for him. Mike's not quite sure whether he can do that to Ace and Mindy, but the timing works and Ace could start at a new school during the next school year without it affecting things too badly for him. Ace has a few friends at his old school but his father's well being is more important. It would be easier for Ace if his father was better. 

So, they start planning their move. They start planning their move. They need to leave California but some nearby state would be nice. They settle on Oregon, and soon they find a perfect place from Portland. They move there so they'll have few weeks to settle in before Ace's school starts. It's a bit unusual place for black people but the people are friendly enough. They don't really ask about Mike's injuries and that helps Mike a lot. 

After Ace starts school, Mike finds himself feeling lonely and bored. He's not sure what to do with himself why Ace is at school. He decides to while away his time by checking out what art he missed during the years he lost to extremis. But watching adaptions of Battle of New York and other such events doesn't really hold that much appeal to him, so he decides to check out Portland's art scene. He spends days at museums and art galleries and that is interesting. 

One day he has a weird sort of luck, and he wins tickets to the Portland Philharmonics. He hopes that will be an interesting experience, so he and Ace get dressed up one Saturday night to go. Ace is starting to approach puberty but luckily he is still willing to do stuff like this with his Dad. 

The night is more magical than he could have hoped, and he especially falls in love with the cello. Or maybe it's the cellist. He looks her up afterwards, Audrey Nathan. Her playing is so beautiful Mike buys a recording of the concert to take home and listens to it during his lonely days. 

He looks into getting cheap tickets for the dress rehearsal during the day, although he worries showing up to too many of those would makes him look stalkerish. Not that Audrey Nathan properly notices him, all the way back in the audience. But he is still self conscious about his scars and his limp. 

But one time he lingers afterwards, and Audrey stays on the stage, playing some cello heavy tv theme from the 90s that Mike almost regonizes but not quite, and he can't help but approach her.

"You are very talented," he says to Audrey, startling her a bit. 

*** 

Sometimes Audrey likes to stay behind after the audience and the rest of orchestra has left and just play the cello. It calms her and she sometimes still needs to reconnect with her instrument, after Daniels. 

Nothing bad has happened to her since Agents Triplett and Sinmons saved her, and being able to talk to people who know has helped her move on from Phil, but sometimes issues still crop up. 

Playing a random tv theme song in a quiet concert hall helps. Let's her concentrate and perform without pressure. And it's fun. She needs more fun.

She can vaguely hear foot steps and something else, so she is somewhat aware she is not alone. But it doesn't break her concentration. Not until he actually speaks. 

"You're very talented," the man says. It's a bit of a surprise for Audrey and she startles. 

He is a tall black man with some burn scars on his face and a cane. He sounds kind, a bit nervous and he has a nice genuine smile. 

"Oh. Hello. Thank you. I thought the place was empty." 

"It should be. But I liked the song you were performing, so I kinda stayed behind. I really enjoy your playing." 

"Thank you again." 

"Oh, my name is Mike Peterson," the man says, walking closer and extending his hand towards her. The cane affects his movement so Audrey puts her cello away and walks towards Mike. They shake hands. His hand is slightly burned too. 

"Hello, Mike. It's usually nice to meet a fan." 

"Usually?" 

Audrey smiles nervously, "I've had some bad experiences." 

"I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable." 

Audrey smiles a bit and puts two of her fingers about an inch from each other, "A little bit." 

"I'm sorry." 

"It's alright," Audrey looks to the backstage where she can see her bodyguard, Nessie. She's never actually quite alone these days. Nessie says in the background but stays alert. 

"Would you like to go out for a coffee some time? I... Do people still just ask each other for coffee? I'm out of practice with dating." 

Audrey laughs, "Yes, they do. And I would love to have coffee with you." 

Maybe with her experience and the current climate the place isn't quite right, but she thinks she knows people better now. She doesn't get a bad vibe from Mike, so she gives him her number. 

"Give me a call sometime." 

Mike really has a beautiful smile, "I will. And here's mine, so you'll know it's me calling." 

"Thank you. I'm looking forward to your call." 

***

They go out about a week from their first actual meeting. Ace is at school and Audrey's dress rehearsal is done so they meet for lunch and coffee. They keep the topics light. Mike talks about Ace and about moving to Portland, Audrey talks about being a professional cellist. They get along well and decide to set up another date. 

They end up meeting each other often, having lunch almost daily. They quickly start to trust each other and open up.

At first they talk around SHIELD, becausd since the Hydra reveal that topic can be touchy. But since SHIELD is also making a comeback, it comes up when they are talking about world events. 

Audrey tells Mike that SHIELD helped her with her stalking issue, and she confesses that Mike makes her feel safe. Knowing about Audrey's experience with SHIELD, Mike feels comfortable enough to talk about some of the work he did with SHIELD, and how he ended up like this. Audrey understands and listens and comforts him. 

Neither one of them has felt this comfortable with someone else in years, like they were old friends, lovers, reunited like they should have been. It's odd and a bit scary but wonderful. 

After 3 months of dating, Audrey meets Ace and they get along well. As Mike looks at them debating whether the cello is a better instrument than drums, Mike can't help feeling lucky and happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I made an allusion to Audrey Nathan playing the _Angel_ theme. Couldn't help myself.


End file.
